The Mediterranean Way of Eating: Evidence for Chronic Disease Prevention and Weight Management

by John J.B. Anderson, Marilyn C. Sparling

Scientific evidence accumulated over decades validates the idea that a plant-based dietary pattern, such as the traditional Mediterranean way of eating, promotes health and plays an important role in risk reduction and prevention of several chronic diseases. One of the great advantages of the Mediterranean diet is that it can be easily adopted by other cultures because it is flexible and highly palatable. The Mediterranean Way of Eating: Evidence for Chronic Disease Prevention and Weight Management offers evidence-based information about an enjoyable, healthy way of eating that has stood the test of time, along with practical suggestions for incorporating the Mediterranean diet into your daily life.
The first part of the book provides a brief history of the Mediterranean region and its different dietary influences. It discusses shared and unique foods in the coastal regions, and recent influences of processed foods and fast foods. It also presents scientific information on critical nutrients (macronutrients, vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, antioxidants, and fiber) in foods found in the Mediterranean diets, how they function in the body, and why they are essential to health. The authors review the major chronic diseases, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and certain cancers, and examine how a Mediterranean-style diet may help reduce risk or prevent these diseases.
The second part of the book addresses the protective effects of foods and food components, discussing how Mediterranean diets may confer health benefits for reducing disease risk and managing weight. It examines the evidence-based health benefits for each of the food groups such as fruits, vegetables, grains, fish, meat, dairy products, plus alcohol along with suggestions for using the foods as part of a healthy diet. The last part of the book focuses on how to move toward a Mediterranean-style diet in your own life, eating at home or dining out, offering effective strategies for implementing the dietary changes."

Genres: Cooking, Cookbooks, Health, Nonfiction, Nutrition, Food

280 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2014

About the author

Professor Anderson has been on the faculty of the School of Public Health in the Department of Nutrition since 1972. Prior teaching positions were held at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, and Bradford (MA) Junior College. He has a Bachelor’s degree in History from Williams College, a Master of Arts in Teaching degree from Harvard University, a Masters’degree in Biology from Boston University, and a Doctoral degree in Physical Biology (biochemistry) from Cornell University, Ithaca, NY. His lifetime research has centered on the linkages among nutrients, hormones, lifestyle factors, and bone health. He has published several books and written more than 150 scientific articles. In addition, he has taught nutrition courses at both the undergraduate and graduate levels and advanced seminars in Nutrition Topics for doctoral students. Over the years, he has developed broad interests in healthy eating patterns and the prevention or delay of chronic diseases and co-wrote a book on the Mediterranean Way of Eating. He and his wife, Elizabeth, have lived in Chapel Hill for over 40 years. Their three sons live with their families in Gunnison, Colorado, Chapel Hill, and Arlington, Virginia.

Reviews

[Andy Febrico Bintoro]

Medical based Mediterranean diet

A thoroughly research on Mediterranean diet applied on US. The chapters not only detailed on what, but why that things was good for our body. Its just the examples not existed on this book on how to applied these things day by day.

[Heather Williams]

It is informative and not a light read.
It reads like a textbook and I find this to be a pretty accurate description, “The book addresses nutrients found in Mediterranean foods, how they function in the body, and why they are essential for optimal health.”
I was not expecting the book to break down the common foods in the diet to this level of detail. I think it’s a good book to go back and revisit and you can also jump around depending on what interests you.

[Rita Brown]

lots of information

This book has a very good explanation of the Mediterranean diet. It breaks down types of food in the diet, and tells you what research has found about the group of foods. You learn how you benefit from the Mediterranean way of eating and what to eat. It was a very thorough, well footnoted, and put together and proofread wonderfully. Enjoyed the read.

[Rose Helg]

Good Book

This was an Good , interesting book. Seen some recipes I would like to try. This was an interesting book.

[Jesse Whitson]

Very detailed and informative. Several pages worth of cited sources organized by each chapter. The book was well written and educational.

[Cara Lynn]

Read for school

[Virginia]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.